title: "Zebrafishing" for novel genes relevant to the glomerular filtration barrier.
abstract: Data for genes relevant to glomerular filtration barrier function or proteinuria is continually increasing in an era of microarrays, genome-wide association studies, and quantitative trait locus analysis. Researchers are limited by published literature searches to select the most relevant genes to investigate. High-throughput cell cultures and other in vitro systems ultimately need to demonstrate proof in an in vivo model. Generating mammalian models for the genes of interest is costly and time intensive, and yields only a small number of test subjects. These models also have many pitfalls such as possible embryonic mortality and failure to generate phenotypes or generate nonkidney specific phenotypes. Here we describe an in vivo zebrafish model as a simple vertebrate screening system to identify genes relevant to glomerular filtration barrier function. Using our technology, we are able to screen entirely novel genes in 4-6 weeks in hundreds of live test subjects at a fraction of the cost of a mammalian model. Our system produces consistent and reliable evidence for gene relevance in glomerular kidney disease; the results then provide merit for further analysis in mammalian models.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hanke
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Staggs
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schroder
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Litteral
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fleig
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaufeld
authors.forename: Cornelius
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pauli
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haller
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiffer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D060730:Glomerular Filtration Barrier / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D060172:Morpholinos / Q000235:genetics; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D060172:Morpholinos